By the beginning of the twentieth century, Marshfield's role as an important center of the lumber industry was fading, while the era of new agriculture and healthcare-related industries was beginning. The 58-building W. Fifth Street-W. Sixth Street Historic District stretches for several blocks up a wooded hillside. Within its boundaries are the homes of many of those who founded these new industries. For their homes they employed the most popular architectural styles of the first half of the twentieth century.

It is the district's Period Revival style houses that define the neighborhood¿s early twentieth century flavor. The most notable of these houses is the superb Colonial Revival style Charles E. Blodgett house at 812 W. Fifth St., built in 1918. It is surrounded by smaller houses belonging to Blodgettt¿s children. Also notable are the two houses built for doctors Karl H. and Paul W. Doege, the sons of Dr. Karl W. Doege, who was the founder of the Marshfield Clinic. These houses were built side by side at 1000 and 1010 W. Fifth St. in 1924 and 1931 and are excellent examples of the Tudor and Mediterranean Revival styles.

Also notable are the district's fine Bungalow and Craftsman style houses, most of which are found in the older, eastern end of the district. More modern houses, including a number of fine, early ranch style houses, are concentrated in the districts western end.

The houses in this district are private residences and are not open to the public. Please respect the privacy of the residents.